Government

Government social media is subject to public records laws in all 50 states.

Posts, comments, replies, edits, deletions and messages may become public records when created or received in the course of official business. Brolly helps your agency capture supported social media activity automatically — and keep it request-ready.

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Automatic, real-time captureCourt-defensible recordsSetup in minutes
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The Obligation

If your agency touched it,
it's probably a record.

Public records laws don't stop at official posts. Anything created or received in the course of official business on social media can fall within scope.

Posts & announcements

Every official post on every channel — including scheduled and boosted content.

Comments & replies

Citizen comments and agency replies — the two-way conversation is part of the record.

Edits

Changed a post? The original version is still a record. Both must be preserved.

Deletions

Deleted comments and removed posts remain subject to production.

URL screenshots

Links shared in a post are captured as screenshots of the destination page — the full context of the message, kept with the record.

Images & video

Shared media, live streams and stories — attachments are records too.

Direct messages

DMs to and from official accounts conducted on public business.

Metadata

Timestamps, authorship and version history — what makes a record defensible.

State by State

Public records compliance,
state by state.

Every state has public-records laws that can apply to digital communications. Select your state to see its statute and response requirement, and how Brolly helps. General information, not legal advice.

Find your state

Public Records ActState

State guidance

Federal agencies please refer to the Federal Records Act and NARA guidance →

How Brolly Helps

Capture the record.
Produce the response.

The whole conversation, captured in near-real time.

Brolly connects to your agency's accounts and archives everything in real time — including the comments citizens delete and the posts staff edit. No browser extensions, no manual saves, no gaps.

  • Automatic, real-time capture across every connected channel
  • Edits & deletions preserved with full version history
  • Metadata, timestamps & checksums for chain of custody
Brolly capture illustration

One-click exports.
Request-ready in minutes.

When a records request lands, run a saved search, apply filters for edits and deletions, and export a complete, defensible package of PDF, CSV/JSON and media, in the formats requesters and courts expect.

  • Saved searches tuned to your statute's definitions
  • One-click export with edit/delete history included
  • Audit-ready logs that stand up in court
One-click export illustration

Cut costs, not corners —
archiving that pays for itself.

Manual archiving burns staff hours on screenshots and spreadsheets that still miss what matters. Brolly replaces the scramble with a process your records officers can run in an afternoon.

  • Hours back every week for records and communications staff
  • Policy-based retention applied automatically
  • Pricing that scales from a single clerk to a state agency
Cut costs illustration

Connected accounts

Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, YouTube, LinkedIn and TikTok.

Data & exports

PDF, CSV/JSON and full media bundles, exported in one click.

Digital checksums

Every record verified unaltered since capture — chain of custody intact.

Beyond screenshots

Metadata, timestamps, edit history — everything screenshots miss.

The Gap

Why screenshots and manual exports aren't enough.

Requirement
Manual methods
Brolly
Captures comments & replies in real time
Only what someone remembers to save
Automatic, every channel, 24/7
Preserves edits & deletions
Gone before anyone notices
Full version history retained
Metadata & timestamps
Screenshots strip them
Complete, with digital checksums
Chain of custody
Unverifiable
Audit logs, court-defensible
Produce within statutory deadline
Days of scrambling across platforms
Saved search → export in minutes
Retention schedules
Ad-hoc folders and drives
Policy-based, applied automatically
Trusted by government

Compliance made easy.
Insights made actionable.
Communities made safer.
That’s Brolly.

Purpose-built for government. Trusted by teams that protect and serve.

5.0 out of 5 starsRated on G2 by verified users
A smiling government records officer working at a laptop

“Brolly: The total package for documentation and archiving.”

Brolly is a vital tool for our organization and is the total package for documentation and archiving needs.

From a verified G2 review — Verified User in US Government Administration
Trust

Security your procurement team can sign off on.

Brolly is ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified and CSA STAR registered, with controls aligned to NIST SP 800-53. Records are encrypted in transit and at rest, stored immutably, and covered by complete audit trails.

Visit the Trust & Security Center
ISO/IEC 27001:2022Certified information security management system.
CSA STAR registeredListed on the Cloud Security Alliance STAR registry.
NIST SP 800-53 alignedControls aligned for public-sector security review.
Encrypted everywhereAES-256 at rest, TLS 1.2+ in transit.
99.9% uptime SLAAvailability commitment in the service agreement.
MFA & role-based accessAccess scoped to your team, with complete audit trails.
The Reference Layer

Records officers ask. We answer.

Plain-English answers for agencies in any state — the details your counsel will ask about. General information, not legal advice.

The obligation

Is social media really a public record in my state?
All 50 states have public records laws, and content created or received in the course of official business can fall within their definitions — whatever the channel. Select your state above for its statute and response requirement. Whether specific content is a record, and whether an exception applies, is a determination for your agency and its counsel.
What does a response requirement actually mean?
Most states set either a fixed window for an initial response or a general obligation to respond promptly. Responding usually means one of three things: produce the records, deny the request citing a legal basis, or state in writing when the records will be available. Silence or indefinite delay is where agencies get into trouble.
What happens if we can’t produce records in time?
Consequences vary by state and can include court-ordered access, cost and attorney-fee awards, and adverse findings about your records practices. Content that was edited or deleted before anyone captured it can’t be produced at all — which is why capture has to happen before the request, not after.

What counts as a record

Do citizen comments on our posts count as records?
Often yes — records “received” in the course of official business are within scope in most states, including comments that residents later delete. That’s why capture needs to happen in real time rather than at request time.
Do edited or deleted posts still have to be produced?
Content doesn’t stop being a record because it was edited or removed from the live page. Each captured version, with its timestamps, is part of what your agency may need to produce.
Can direct messages be public records?
They can. Records definitions generally follow the content and context — not the channel — so a message sent or received in the course of official business can fall within scope even in a private inbox. Whether specific messages are producible or exempt is a determination for your counsel.
What about an official’s personal account?
Content follows function, not the account label: a personal account used to conduct official business can create public records. The safest policy routes official business through official accounts — and keeps those accounts on record.
Which platforms does Brolly archive?
Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, YouTube, LinkedIn and TikTok — captured automatically through official platform APIs from your connected accounts.

Responding to a request

Aren’t screenshots enough to comply?
No. Screenshots miss metadata, timestamps, edit history and deletions — and can’t prove they haven’t been altered. Brolly’s records carry digital checksums and chain-of-custody logs designed to survive legal scrutiny.
How long do we have to keep social media records?
Retention periods come from the records schedules approved for your entity type, which are set state by state. Brolly retains records for the period you configure, so your archive matches your approved schedule.
What if part of a record is confidential?
Every state’s records law has exceptions — denial requires a stated legal basis, and confidential portions can be redacted before production. Brolly supports capture, access control, search and export; your agency and counsel determine classification, redaction and disclosure.

Using Brolly

Who in our organization uses Brolly?
Typically your records officer, clerk or records staff handle search and export; communications teams use capture day-to-day; attorneys pull audit logs when litigation or an oversight inquiry arises.
How fast can we get started?
Setup takes minutes: connect your accounts, confirm retention settings, and capture begins immediately. There’s a free trial, and pricing scales from single-clerk towns to statewide agencies.
Will Brolly pass our procurement and security review?
Brolly is ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified and CSA STAR registered, with controls aligned to NIST SP 800-53. Records are encrypted in transit and at rest, stored immutably, and covered by complete audit trails.

State-specific statutes, response requirements and guidance: choose your state above.

Not ready for a trial? Book a 20-minute consultation.

Talk through your agency's records obligations with our public-sector team. No sales scripts, no pressure — just answers about where your agency stands under your state's law.

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Be ready before the request arrives.

Twenty minutes with our public-sector team, and you'll know where your agency stands.

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